Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as one of the most pressing global health challenges of the 21st century, particularly Indonesia is projected to be among the five nations globally with the highest percentage increase in antimicrobial consumption by 2030. Primary care settings represent the most critical implementation point for addressing inappropriate antibiotic use. ARTI constitutes the most common indication for antibiotic prescribing in primary care, yet much of this prescribing is inappropriate. The high frequency of inappropriate antibiotic prescribing for ARTI is particularly problematic because most of these infections are viral in nature and resolve spontaneously without antibiotic treatment. Studies across the Asia-Pacific region, including Indonesia, have documented antibiotic prescribing rates for upper respiratory tract infections ranging from 47% to 85%, indicating substantial overuse.
C-reactive protein (CRP) point-of-care test (POCT) has emerged as a promising, evidence-based implementation to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory infections in a systematic review of studies conducted primarily in primary care settings of high- and middle-income countries. However, the efficacy and safety of CRP POCT implementation have not been evaluated in Indonesian primary care settings, where healthcare infrastructure, patient populations, test acceptability, and prescribing practices may differ significantly from countries where studies have been conducted.
This research will fill a critical evidence gap by providing the first rigorous evaluation of CRP POCT in the Indonesian context. The findings will directly inform Indonesia's National Strategy for AMR Standard and provide evidence-based guidance for scaling antimicrobial stewardship implementations across Indonesian PHC sites. Reducing inappropriate antibiotic prescribing by implementing CRP will contribute to reduce the development of antimicrobial resistance, unnecessary adverse effects, and healthcare costs.